Jewish organizations around the world denounce Gazan rocket fire
Far-left Jewish groups blame Israel for the rocket attacks, condemn its response.
By JEREMY SHARONThe family home hit by Hamas rocket (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI)
Jewish organizations across the political spectrum have denounced the barrage of rockets and mortars fired by Palestinian terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, with the exception of some of the far-left Jewish groups which either blamed Israel for the attacks or condemned its response.The World Jewish Congress called on the UN Security Council to condemn the massive bombardment of southern Israel, while the Jewish Federations of North America, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Zionist Federation of Australia all condemned the attacks.The dovish J Street lobbying group said that there was “no justification for these acts of terror,” while the head of the Reform movement in the US, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, noted that Israeli children had enjoyed little rest on Shabbat after running frightened to bomb shelters, and described the status quo as “intolerable.”The Jewish Agency for Israel stated that it was providing financial assistance to families and individuals impacted by the rocket fire, including the family of Moshe Agadi, the father of four killed on Saturday; Alegria Ben-Naqan, a 79-year-old woman from Kiryat Gat who incurred serious shrapnel wounds in another attack; and two families whose homes were destroyed by rockets in Moshav Netiv Ha’asarah and Kibbutz Nahal Oz.Two far-left Jewish groups, IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace, were however were strongly critical of Israel.IfNotNow said in a tweet that the organization “stands with Gaza tonight and always,” and said that “Israel must stop murdering Palestinian civilians.”In the same tweet it referred to the deaths of five Palestinians on Saturday as “heartbreaking and horrifying,” although at least one of those killed was a terrorist, while the IDF said that three others on its list, a pregnant woman, her unborn child, and a young toddler were killed by a faulty Hamas rocket. Hamas alleged that an Israeli airstrike was responsible for their deaths.The Jewish Voice for Peace questioned Israel’s right to respond to the rocket attacks, noting in a Tweet that Israel has a large military and is blockading Gaza.“Do not be quick to call this bombing Israel’s right to defend itself. #LetGazaLive,” the group said on Saturday.
